Red Cashion was with the National Football League for 40 years. He was an official and referee for 25 years. After that he served as a trainer of NFL officials for 15 years.

In his book "First Dooowwwnnn . . . And a Life To Go!" (AuthorHouse, 180 pp.) which he wrote with Rusty Burson, Cashion talks about some of the big moments in his career, including a few at Lambeau Field.

Cashion, who became an NFL official in 1972, called first game as a referee on Sept. 12, 1976 at Lambeau Field when Monte Clark’s San Francisco 49ers played Bart Starr’s Packers.

"I was hoping for an uneventful game with no questionable calls, and that was the case for the first quarter," Cashion writes.

But in the second quarter Packers quarterback Lynn Dickey started to throw a pass but stopped his motion because a defender jumped in front of the receiver.

"In an attempt to abruptly stop his motion, his arm came forward slightly as he brought the ball down," Cashion says. "The ball came out of his hand and went straight toward the ground."

Cashion said he had never seen anything quite like it in his experience.

He ruled it intentional grounding. But his linesman, the seasoned Jack Fette, hustled over and said he was convinced it was an incomplete pass. Cashion picked up his flag.

"There were many other times throughout the rest of that season where we were able to help each other out and further enhance the chemistry and overall reputation of our crew," Cashion says.

The last regular-season game Cashion worked was Dec. 22, 1996, Minnesota at Green Bay.

Cashion writes Packers defensive end Reggie White came up to him before the game started.

"Red, I understand you are quitting," White said. "Is that true?"

Cashion said twice that yes, he was hanging up his whistle.

"White, an ordained minister, then looked toward the heavens and jokingly said, ‘Praise the Lord.’ Then he smiled, patted me on the back wished me the best. He told me that he would miss me and that he appreciated the relationship we had developed through the years."

Cashion says he did not mind a coach like Chuck Knox who "would use very strong language as he hollered at us," because "he rarely allowed his frustrations or his verbal tirades to become personal, which was not the case with some other well-known coaches."

One of the only coaches Cashion says he had a problem with was June Jones, who was with Atlanta from 1994-’96.

"By that time, I’d learned to deal with all types of personalities and situations," Cashion writes.

In chapter seven of the book, Cashion takes up the topic of player safety and suggests not a tweak to the rules, but a "ground-breaking" one.

Take the facemasks off the helmets.

"I seriously doubt that players would continue to use their headgear as weapons if their faces were not protected by shatterproof masks," Cashion writes. He does not suggest players return to wearing leather helmets, when tackles were made by players using more of their hands and shoulders.

Even if a player had a single bar facemask, he would be disinclined to launch himself at a receiver or runner, Cashion argues.

"Most good coaches at every level teach their players never to duck their heads and hit someone with the top – or the crown - of the helmet," Cashion says. "Leading with the facemask, however, has long been taught as a highly effective tackling technique."

Cashion also is not keen about the "obsession with perfection" that instant replay policy has become because in interferes with the flow of the game and causes officials to be "singularly focused on making certain that each particular play is perfect that they are in danger of losing touch with the game" becoming "robotic, scientific and disjointed."

About Bob Wolfley

Bob Wolfley retired in October 2014 He wrote the SportsDay blog and column and about TV and radio issues.